Reliability: Does anything else BEAT a S&W 3rd Gen. auto?

[joseph whitney]

reliabilityoew anything elsr Beat a S&W3rd Gen auto

I have used S&W pistols and revolvers for the last 60 years and believe they are the best. I am having problems right now with my 6906 but I believe I have it fixed. I dislike the Glock based on looks alone but have heard it works fine. My favorite pistol at this time is the Beretta 92FS. It has never given me the slightest problem since they first came out in the 92F configuration. Smith revolvers are the finest in the world and have never had a single problem with them as far as I can remember. The CZ's are great pistols also.

 

[18DAI]

Not in my experience, although my HK USP's are equally reliable as my 3rd gen pistols. Regards 18DAI

 

[RufusG]

, and is meant to do the job it was designed to do,

That's the gun I want.

 

[Stu454]

Consistantly as reliable? A folded-slide P226 comes to mine.

I've made some name guns choke just by looking at them (seriously, how do you get feed stoppages with a USP Compact in .357 SIG???) while others seemingly couldn't be made to malfunction (a mid 90s MKIII Hi Power that was practically unstoppable).

I've had nothing but good showings from a variety of 3rd gen 9mms.

But I do miss that BHP, though .

 

[.455_Hunter]

My brother's Gen I Glock 19 was a jam-o-matic with mil-spec M882 ball.

The only time any of my 3rd gens have "failed" was when my 1006 did not lock back on an empty mag while shooting Prvi-Partizan cream-puff 10 mm loads (less than a .40 S&W). Can't really blame the gun...

 

[ILLWIND]

WHAT!!! There are OTHER companies that make handguns? I would stake my life on any of my 3rd gen S&W's Actually, any and all handguns I own. If it isn't accurate, reliable, or all metal, it goes down the road.

 

[K Frame Keith]

My 4505 does not jam. Other third generation guns I have owned in the past were just as reliable.

 

[4506517]

I have become a 3rd gen FANATIC....since when you might ask? Since they took our 4566s and traded them for the M&P 45 garbage. They're killin me over on the M&P forum for exposing all the problems my agency has had with the M&P. Anyway, the 3rds are my absolute favorite. I own:

4506 (forged hammer & trigger)
4506 (MIM hammer & trigger)
1006
4505
4526
4566TSW
4563TSW
4006TSW
4003TSW

I still see more that I want. Strangely enough, the small compacts don't interest me.....weird

 

[Badkarma 1]

I've burned a fair quantity of ammo thru various autos at one time or another, matter of fact I remember a Tysons Corner P226 that I fed some dirty reloads I got from a local cop and it never missed a beat! I just purchased a Beretta 92FS used and want too run it like a rented mule, so I'll get back to ya on that one.
But I look at this old beat up 5946, that I've put over a thousand rounds of mixed ammo (ball, JHP, NATO, +P) and just say "WOW!" it's eaten everything and never burped once! It just sort of looked at me like 'Oliver Twist' and said "Please sir, I want SOME more!"
I've had one Glock, a 3rd. 19 that would pull the stage 3 malfunction regularly enough. My old 17 works well enough, but in lieu of the recent Gen4 foul ups, I'm pretty much sticking to 3Gen Smith...they just WORK! Dale

 

[dsk]

I've only been a S&W owner since last fall, so I don't have enough rounds through the pipe to comment. However the most reliable weapons system I've ever handled personally has been the Beretta 92 series. I've owned six over the years (currently down to one), with a combined total of somewhere between 15-20,000 rounds fired. Not one single malfunction, ever. I've owned several Glocks, and while most were 100% one of them wasn't. Hopefully my S&W autos will prove to be just as good overall, but I'm pretty confident.

 

[Kelly Green]

The only pistol I’d put up against my S&W Third Generations for consistent reliability is my 1944 Remington Rand 1911. It’s old and it looks like its seen more than one dog fight but in the thousands of rounds I’ve put through it, from FMJ to lead hand-loads, it has never once failed to function.

 

[heekma]

I've only been a S&W owner since last fall, so I don't have enough rounds through the pipe to comment. However the most reliable weapons system I've ever handled personally has been the Beretta 92 series. I've owned six over the years (currently down to one), with a combined total of somewhere between 15-20,000 rounds fired. Not one single malfunction, ever. I've owned several Glocks, and while most were 100% one of them wasn't. Hopefully my S&W autos will prove to be just as good overall, but I'm pretty confident.

Hello dsk,

I know you from your participation and posts from another forum and I welcome your experience and expertise here.

I don't have the round count that you've racked up, but I've put several thousand rounds each through a West German SIG, stainless U.S. made Beretta and a Glock 17. Of those three, the Beretta had one malfinction (FTE-odd, considering the open design), the SIG had a FTF and a FTE, the Glock had a few FTF-but those were with novice shooters. Glocks are great guns, but they do not tolerate moderate limpwristing well.

My 4506 has has 3k down the pipe-all kinds, some decidedly suspect, without skipping a beat.

My 5906 has seen over 4k, a fair amount of that teaching some female friends of mine who had never held-let alone shot-a handgun without a single issue.

These same friends caused my G17 to FTF repeatedly.

I learned through personal experience the Glock is sensitive to limp wristing.

The 3rd Gen. Smiths aren't sensitive to anything-assuming the ammo is reasonably assembled.

Considering some of MY reloads I'm not entirely convinced even some moderate ammo issues will stop them.

Best,

Heekma

 

[lhump1961]

I guess beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. If you want a "pretty" gun then I guess a S&W might be the one. If you want an overpriced gun, then Sig Sauer is the one. But if you want a real self defense gun that does what it is suppose to, and is meant to do the job it was designed to do, then Glock is THE one, without question.

At least you didn't go so far as to say the "ONLY" one...I won't ask any questions

 

[dsk]

I don't have the round count that you've racked up, but I've put several thousand rounds each through a West German SIG, stainless U.S. made Beretta and a Glock 17. Of those three, the Beretta had one malfinction (FTE-odd, considering the open design), the SIG had a FTF and a FTE, the Glock had a few FTF-but those were with novice shooters. Glocks are great guns, but they do not tolerate moderate limpwristing well.

My 4506 has has 3k down the pipe-all kinds, some decidedly suspect, without skipping a beat.

My 5906 has seen over 4k, a fair amount of that teaching some female friends of mine who had never held-let alone shot-a handgun without a single issue.

These same friends caused my G17 to FTF repeatedly.

I learned through personal experience the Glock is sensitive to limp wristing.

The 3rd Gen. Smiths aren't sensitive to anything-assuming the ammo is reasonably assembled.

Well, it's definitely true that any design has the potential to malfunction, so it should never be taken for granted. So far I've only shot a couple hundred rounds through a 4006, maybe the same through a 915, and more recently about 3-400 through a 910. So far I've had one FTE with the 910, but it was with store-bought reloads and I believe the round was a bit underpowered. Honestly I've never had a malfunction with any USGI 1911 pistol either, but I also haven't put many rounds downrange with them as they quickly became too valuable to shoot within the past 10 years or so. Most 1911s I've had that were unreliable were either garbage brands, or were factory customs made by companies too busy making them to watch what they were doing.

I have recently put 3000+ rounds through a Gen4 Glock 19, one of the first ones with all the "bad" parts still inside it. So far no malfunctions of any kind, which goes to show you can't ever predict performance. You always have to test to be sure.

 

[BHPFan]

I haven't posted in a while, but in my experience with the semi pistols I've owned in the past: The SIGs (P220, P225, P239), HK P7, all my previous Browning Hi Powers, Ruger P90, Walther P99 and CZ75 were just as reliable as the S&W 3rd Gen.

Now, with current semis that I own and have shot: My current BHPs (and clones) and the Walther P99C are just as reliable as my 3rd Gen S&W semiautos.

Glock, not so much, as it could not shoot reloads reliably like my CS9 (or the 3914 and 6906 that I used to own ages ago) as well as my BHPs.

I recently got a M&P9C that I have yet to shoot. Next to my BHP pistols, I love S&W handguns: I currently own a 617, CS9, 4506, 457 and M&P9C. I also have a Walther P99C (imported by S&W) and I currently have a 625JM on layaway.

True... S&W pistols are great!!!

 

[Nuclearmike]

I've had a few 3rd Gens, i.e, 4586, 5904, 4553, 1026, 4506-1, 4566TSW. I've never had one do anything other than what it was supposed to do. Pull the trigger followed by a bang and the next round loaded in the chamber.

I've had a love-hate relationship with the 3rd gens. I love the looks, the function, the accuracy. Hate the dang slippery plastic grips. With all that being said a 4566TSW or 4506-1 with non-slip tape on the palm swell grips sits on my nightstand every night and as soon as I get my CCW the hunt for a 3913 or a CS9 will begin.

 

[cololab]

I own pistols that I consider to be as reliable as my 3rd Gens, but none of them do I consider to be more reliable.

 

[ColColt]

I've owned a few Glocks over the past 15 years to include the G19, G22 and 23 and the G30SF. That one is the worse of the lot with FTRTB issues that never were fixed by the armorer I gave it to and it was the worse for chewing up brass. I'll never own another G30SF.

To date the G19 has been most reliable but, I wouldn't trade the 4506 for 20 of them-or any other Glock for that matter. The HK USP-C 45 has proven itself to be the equal of the 4506 to date.

 

[calmex]

I have a 3904 and a Glock. My ammo situation is always tenuous, in fact I rarely get to fire factory ammo through either and have to reload for both. Primer selection is based on what I can find, not what I would like.

Factory ammo available is loaded with very hard primers. As well, often the primers available for reloading are quite hard. I seat them all below flush to give the BEST chance of ignition. The Glock has an extra power striker spring, but every couple of hundred rounds, I will get a mis-fire requiring a second strike. The S&W NEVER has required a second strike to begin with, and were it required it would be a simple matter to just pull the trigger again. The Glock does not give you a simple "second pull" in the event of a misfire.

The Glock is a fine weapon, I will admit, and I am happy to own one. However, in areas where your ammo supply is variable and very hard primers might be the order of the day I do not think it's what I would choose personally. I use my Glock as a fun gun to impress the peanut gallery and the 3904 is what sits in the gun clock near the front door because I feel I can truly count on it. I am delighted to own it and always love shooting it. It has also become my wife's favourite auto, meaning that it might not be possible for me to shoot it as much as I want when she comes shooting with me.

I really feel the S&W 3904 is as reliable an auto as I'm going to get around here.